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07 Madison St. in Sag Harbor, a 19th‑century brick townhouse, is now on the market for $16.49 million. The house, built in 1841, was a refuge for Truman Capote after his social exile from New York, a story highlighted in HBO’s “Feud: Capote vs. the Swans.” The current owner bought the property for $2.85 million in 2022 and then invested in a comprehensive renovation that has driven the price up.
Capote’s 1967 red Mustang convertible is still parked on the curb, and buyers can add it to the purchase for an extra fee. The vehicle, bearing the “CAPOTE” plate, is one of two items—along with an original oil portrait of the author—that can be transferred to the new owner.
The house was once owned for more than five decades by Capote’s friends, Joe Petrocik and Myron Clement, who ran a public‑relations firm and used the home as a weekend escape from the city. Capote, who died in 1984, spent so much time at 207 Madison that he reportedly called the front parlor his bedroom. He was also known for classics such as “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” and “In Cold Blood.”
Originally constructed for Colonel Henry Wentworth Hunt, a former publisher of the Sag Harbor Corrector, the property has a long literary pedigree. The recent three‑year makeover was overseen by Riostello Studio, MJS Building & Development, and Halcyon Design. “It’s rare to see a home with such a distinguished history revived with this level of care and vision,” said Preston Kaye, co‑founder of Hedgerow Exclusive Properties, which lists the property.
The 5,000‑square‑foot main house sits on 0.38 acres and was carefully lifted onto a new foundation before a 1,400‑square‑foot addition was built. Original features—solid timber porch columns, hand‑hewn beams, early bricks, and granite chimney blocks—were preserved and repurposed. The interior now boasts five bedrooms, six full baths, and two powder rooms. A foyer opens to formal living and dining rooms, a lounge inspired by Capote, and an eat‑in kitchen with white oak cabinets and a leather‑lined quartzite island. The main bedroom is on the upper level, accompanied by two ensuite rooms; a guest/staff suite with its own entrance occupies the basement.
Outside, the landscaped grounds include a saltwater pool, a glass conservatory that serves as a 300‑square‑foot guest house, and a 500‑square‑foot pool house featuring a bar, powder room, and outdoor shower. The pool house can also function as a one‑car garage. A limestone terrace and gardens provide additional outdoor space for entertaining.
In a 2023 interview with the New York Times, Petrocik and Clement recalled hosting Capote a few days before his death: “He came at about 6 p.m. on a warm August Sunday night. Jack Dunphy drove him from Sagaponack to our house.” Capote passed away in California a few days later.
